


Frost

by Hoardinghordofpost



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Character Death, F/M, Other, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-20 18:38:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18530830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hoardinghordofpost/pseuds/Hoardinghordofpost
Summary: The Vydmath was closed. Was next? Spoilers for Beast of Winter DLC. (Before "Cold Brass" series).





	Frost

**Author's Note:**

> After some thinking I've decided, that if Vatnir would just pull his "Please take me" shtick from original game, Brenice would kill him on place for ditching his responsibilities. You can go back from heated argument, but not from backstab.

This decision will haunt her.

As all of them do.

Even if Ydwin ultimately was an explosive waiting for right flame to set her off – curiosity, hunger, revenge, pride souring into superiority – her red eyes disappearing under layer of frost will now watch Brenice from the shadows, surrounded by wisps of the departed.

Shifting aggressively the fire's embers with a stick, women looked around, on the people sitting with her in the cave. Those, for which that sacrifice was made.

Eder, a friend, a good man. Xoti would cry out her eyes, if anything had happened to him. Lately he was mentioning Bearn more often – and gods knows, how much the kid needs someone beside him.

Aloth. Even if they don't get along so great, he was the man able to dismantle any leftovers of Leaden Key. Just the sheer fact of his longevity make him better suited for this than her.

Tekehu? So young? Someone, who can use his authority to stop that rotting cast system? After witnessing the Gullet he was disgusted by it almost as much as her.

And there was High Harbinger. Most of the pale elves on Dead Float was so invested in their beloved oblivion, that without his leadership they would probably forget about collecting food and building shelters. Each one of them could be decades older than her, but in their unending, witless joy they were closer to bunch of little children. Only Vatnir, even if embittered, resembled adult in any sense.

The man in question was sitting so close to the fire, that few sparks from it fell on his shoes. He removed them with quick move of long, gloved fingers, not even for heartbeat taking too many eyes away from the flames.

-Sooo – said Eder, while filling up his favorite pipe – anyone, maybe, want to throw some tune?

Bless this goof's heart.

-I can – answered Vatnir just before silence got uncomfortable.

Harbinger voice, low and bellowing, was at first quieter than the cracking of burning logs. With time it had become louder, changing into hum, into chant and back into whisper. Somehow it had made Brenice think about a long blizzard.

When he had opened his glowing eyes after end of the song, he spotted the looks from kith sitting around.

-Oh – godlike seemed bit embarrassed– it's just, eh, traveling march. I hope you won't get sick of it too quickly.

-Why would we? - The question was rather obvious.

-Well, I might sing it quiet often, when we, uh, travel around...

Brenice, when she was already pinning him down, saw in his eyes the same thing she had seen so often during her fights: shock over fact, that person in full plate can move so quickly.

-Did you just said you gonna ditch your people?

Pupils of glamfellen eyes widened. He jerked his whole body violently.

-No! But... Won't you have me? Please, have me – both saliva and tears went down man's face.

This is how Ydwin had to see him – the rot of the soul matching one of the body.

-You can't just leave these folks! - Eder rose up sharply. - Not after what they went trough with the dragon!

-You're their leader! Someone to look after them, especially in this place conditions! It's your responsibility to them, while you're all here! You took it the day you had lied to them - ages had passed since Aloth was shaking this much from anger.

From Vatnir's throat came angry, loud, wet gargling.

-And we'll live from what? Fishes? Carcasses? We even don't have what to burn for warmth!

-What about temple? - Brenice spitted out, furious.

-It'll be ages before we get rid of the traps and glifs! With Vydmath closed, it doesn't have purpose! Even if pilgrims would come, we won't have anything to feed them!

-It's filled with artifacts to the brim, you can exchange!

-Taking Rymrgand goods? Are you mad? Even I won't be able talk Harbingers into this!

Brenice wheezed, irritated. She never had been good in getting into mindset of religious people. Priest took opportunity to continue:

\- Ships, that were not from the Land, had come here only because of spreading ice. When it's gone, there will be no need to come to us. So that way of getting supplies also won't work.

Angry and without solution Brenice moved her face so close to his, that women's forehead touched cold, metal mask.

-So what you propose? You led them here. They won't just disappear - she hissed.

Godlike shivered and then, surprisingly, relaxed.

-Just disappear... That possible, actually.

-What? – This question had come from all directions at once.

-After pilgrimage. That is, you would come from it, yes? If there no more miracle to worship, why not go back home?

-That… Actually makes sense – Aloth pondered aloud.

-Yes! – Priest became feverishly enthusiastic, spit coming down unto the ground. - Hafjórn can lead them safely to The Land. They'll go back to their everyday life. For elves not so much time have passed.

-So, it's settled – Tekehu softly clapped his hands to get other's attention. Then he put them on the shoulders of the farmer and the mage, softly pushing them toward exit of the cave. - We'll inform the little shoal tomorrow. Now, my friends, let's leave captain with her prey, ekera?

-What? - Women spurted, startled. Than she noticed, in what position she was.

Warrior almost fully layed on the priest, their legs tangled. She was holding elf's arms just under thin, aristocratic wrists. Man’s leg bend in the knee, touching her hip, probably enhanced the impression of some ambiguity in the scene they were making.

Even in armour she could feel slight shiver of the body under her. In moving light of the fire he looked much younger, like boy in too heavy mask with horns. For her smell was not so bad, sour and sweet, similar to the one of battlefield, when time come to loot fallen bodies. Pleading eyes with with irises so turquoise, that they looked like affected by magic.

But it was the sight of his long, grayish tongue moisturizing the exposed gums pushed her to action.Women cursed, embarrassed and angry on herself, and pushed man away. He had rolled over few feets before crawling to the cave's wall.

Glamfellen looked so much like hunted down deer, that she moved toward him and squatted next to the curled up figure.

-You have showed at least a tiny bit of responsibility, when you had written to me. If you had not, I would kill you right here and right now for backstabbing Harbingers. In short – you have still a chance. Do. Not. Waste. It. – Natlan punctuated each word with jab of finger into man’s chest. Fear was leaving his eyes, making place for usual stubbornness and distrust.

-Understood, Duskspeaker – he spewed out, his tone bitter.

 

And from between the shadows and wisps of departed red eyes looked at them both with irony.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I know, party in the text is larger than in the game.  
> I hope you'll like it. I'm not 100% sure if it match up with level of my former texts.


End file.
